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Frank Moss was born in Holladay, a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah, as the youngest of seven children of James Edward and Maude (née Nixon) Moss.[1] His father, a well-known secondary school educator, was known as the "father of high school athletics" in Utah.[2] In 1929, he graduated from Granite High School, where he had been freshman class president, editor of the school newspaper, two-time state debate champion, and center on the football team.[2]

Moss then attended the University of Utah, where he was a double major in speech and history.[3] During college, he was sophomore class president and coach of the varsity debate team.[2] He graduated magna cum laude in 1933.[4] The following year, he married Phyllis Hart (the daughter of Charles H. Hart), to whom he remained married until his death in 2003; the couple had one daughter and three sons.[1]

Following his military service, Moss returned to Salt Lake City and was re-elected as city judge, serving in that position until his resignation in 1950.[1] He served as county attorney for Salt Lake County from 1950 to 1959.[3] During those years, he practiced law in the firms of Moss & Hyde (1951–1955) and Moss & Cowley (1955–1959).[4] In 1956, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Utah, losing to City Commissioner L.C. Romney.[4]

Moss ran for a fourth term in 1976 against Republican Orrin Hatch. Among other issues, Hatch criticized Moss's 18-year tenure in the Senate, saying "What do you call a Senator who’s served in office for 18 years? You call him home."[8] Hatch argued that many Senators, including Moss, had lost touch with their constituents.[9] Hatch won the election by an unexpectedly wide nine-point margin and proceeded to hold that seat for the next 42 years.

Afterwards, Moss returned to the practice of law in Washington, D.C. and Salt Lake City. To date, he was the last Democrat to represent Utah in the U.S. Senate.